Six New Mexico mayors were among the 886 mayors across the United States who signed onto a letter to Congressional leadership asking for an assault weapons ban to help curb gun violence.

“Military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines have been at the center of some of our country’s deadliest mass shootings. Just since July, we have watched in horror as they have been used to gun down moviegoers in an Aurora theater, Sikh worshippers in an Oak Creek temple, and even young children in a Newtown elementary school,” the letter states. “In order to prevent the next rampage and help save American lives, our nation needs clear and enforceable legislation that will take these weapons and magazines off our streets.”

The letter was from Mayors Against Illegal Guns, arguably the most prominent gun control groups in the nation.

An AR-15 was used in the Newtown and Aurora shootings. An AR-15 was also one of the guns that was used in the Griego shooting in the South Valley. A semiautomatic handgun was used in the Oak Creek temple shooting.

Mayors Joe Murrieta of Grants, Ken Miyagishima of Las Cruces, Ray Alborn of Ruidoso, David Coss of Santa Fe, Mayor Albert Campos, Jr. of Santa Rosa and Gloria J. Chavez of Tijeras were the New Mexico signatories onto the letter.

An assault weapons ban is considered a long-shot in the Congress, especially in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

More likely are approval of universal background checks or the ban of large capacity magazines.

Matthew Reichbach has blogged about New Mexico politics since 2006. Matthew was a co-founder of New Mexico FBIHOP with his brother and part of the original hirings at the groundbreaking website the New Mexico Independent. Matthew has covered events such as the Democratic National Convention and Netroots Nation.
In addition to politics, Matthew is an avid sports fan, especially of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and TV fan.

The right to bear arms is an unalianble right. The second amendment strictly limits the government from infringing on that right. If they pass a law that is unconstitutional, don’t we have a right to ignore it?

@Laura: Only once in more than 200 years has the second amendment been interpreted as containing an individual right to bear arms, albeit most recently. Even ultra-conservative Justice Scalia wrote in that opinion that it is not unrestricted. So the answer to your question is NO.

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